


Christmas in prison

by NYWCgirl



Category: White Collar
Genre: Christmas, Gen, Homesickness, Hurt/Comfort, Imprisonment, Loneliness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 01:05:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17132126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: It’s the first Christmas Neal celebrates in prison. It is not what he thought it would be.





	Christmas in prison

**Author's Note:**

> This fic fills the ‘Homesick’ square on my H/C Bingo card.

Prison life is bleak and stark… and boring. Neal realized very early in his prison sentence that the real punishment is the long boring days. Neal doesn´t do boring very well.

Once the staff realized his potential, he was lucky enough to be allowed to work in the library and teach an art class. They are the only things keeping him relatively sane inside.

But December came along and Christmas creeped up on them and suddenly Neal misses home. Ok, maybe not home, since he hasn´t had a home ever since he ran away from home, but being out and able to do whatever he wanted. Pick pocket during the rush shopping sprees of people on Fifth Avenue, dine with fine wine and gourmet food with a beautiful partner.

Last year he was with Kate in Aspen running a scam while enjoying some skiing. He wonders what Kate will be doing during the holidays. Will she stay home or go to some party? Or maybe visit family, he isn´t even sure if she has any family left.

And what will Mozzie be doing? He probably hauls up in one of his safe houses with some wine and gourmet food. Neal laughs at the thought of Mozzie with his ear warmers.

‘Hey Caffrey, the guys from your class ask if they can make holiday decorations for tonight? Are you up for it. Warden approved the request.’

Neal sits up.

‘Yeah, sure, do we have material?’

‘Your case manager got you paints, brushes and card board.’

‘That will work.’

‘OK, you know the drill.’

Neal stands against the opposite wall while the CO opens the door.

‘Step out.’

Neal steps out of the cell and waits against the opposite wall while the CO locks the cell door again. They walk towards the room where Neal teaches his class. There is a large pile of card board and a box with paints and brushes. There are even some tinsels.

The guys are not hear yet, so Neal takes a piece of paper and makes some sketches of things they can make.

‘Hey Caffrey, what can we make?’

Neal looks up, ‘well I made some sketches, what do you think?’

Neal shows his ideas and the men are already grabbing cardboard and paints.

 

* *  *

 

_Christmas day_

The morning was just like any other morning in prison, but after lunch the inmates are handed their Christmas bag. Neal is curious and opens it. It turns out to be a big bag of candy, he sees Hershey’s Chocolate, Reese´s Peanut Butter Cups and some other treats. He isn´t a real big fan of candy, but is a nice treat, since they are all items you don´t normally get. He can always barter them later.

Neal doesn´t expect any visitors so he goes to the Christmas dinner. It turns out the Christmas meal is big. Neal´s tray is filled up to capacity with corn, stuffing, pie and what appears to be Cornish hen. It is the first time they got this much food and Neal must admit it is the best meal he has had while he was inside. The kitchen team did his best to make this a real Christmas dinner.

When dinner is over they go to the communal space that Neal and the guys decorated. There is a cardboard Christmas tree as big as Neal himself, a life size cardboard fireplace, he once saw in a castle in France, with stockings and even a gingerbread house made of clay. Some of the men made paper snowflakes and stars, which are put up on stairs and windows. The unit couldn´t be more festive.

The television is turned on some sports channel. Neal is offered some hooch and after not been able to drink any alcohol, it is a pretty stiff drink. Someone managed to smuggle in some pecan pie so they even have a second dessert.

A bingo and chess tournaments have been organized and Neal gladly participates in a game of chess. It is clear that both staff and inmates went the extra mile so that everybody gets some distraction from the fact that they are not able to be with their loved ones during Christmas.

When it is time for lock down and Neal returns to his cell, Bobbie has put one of the cardboard Christmas trees in his cell. He stares at it, and it isn´t a Nordmann fir, but it is the closest thing to it and it makes his cell a little more bleak.

For his first Christmas in prison, it wasn´t that bad.

**Author's Note:**

> Wishing you all a very merry Christmas!


End file.
